Hand signal light



Oct. 20, 1953 H. N. BURGESS 2,656,529

HAND SIGNAL LIGHT Filed July 25, 1952 I d i i 6 54 nwe/vrok. Hubert /V Burgess Patented Oct. 20, 1953 emc SIGNAL 7 Hubert N. Burgesnflocflord, 111. Application J m 25, 1952, seam... 300,949

This invention relates to a hand signal light intended for use by ushers in moving picture theaters and other places for signalling toaheafd usher at the door the number of vacant seats available, as well as to illuminate the floor in the vicinity of the vacant seats for the benefit of the incoming patrons. f

I am aware that signal lights for this purpose have been devised before but they havenot been adopted, evidently either because they not function satisfactorily or because they were too complicated and expensive in construction. My experiments with the device of my invention convinced me that the problem is not simply that of satisfactorily signalling to the distant usher the number of seats available; it is also important that the device give just the amount of floor illumination needed, but no more, otherwise the signal light is a source .of distraction to thesurrounding audience and theater managers would .not purchase such devices for that reason. It is, therefore, the principal object .of my invention to provide a hand signal constructed and designed to meet the requirements mentioned and avoid the objections indicated. a v

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in wh'ich- 1 n Fig. ,1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a hand signal light made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view, as indicated by the line 22inFig.1;and

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 of Fig. l.

The same reference numerals are applied, to corresponding parts throughout these'views.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 5 designates a flashlight of conventional design and construction having a bulb Bfln one end of the casing 1 disposed centrallywith respect to a reflector 8 behind a lens 8 to project light forwardly along the axiscf the casing] when the switch button 1.0 is moved'to the fon. position, in the usual way. A silent push button switch is connected in series with switch it so that the light is on only when the button 10' is depressed, that is, assuming switch I0 is turned on; In the conventional flash-light a fiangedring is threaded on the threaded end portion ll of the casing! to retain the lens 9, but intlie device of my invention, a ring 12 is provided in the form of a pmjecting collar disposed centrally onone end of a square housing 13 and solder-odor otherwise suitably secured, as indicated at 14, to said end wall IS in concentric relationto afcircular opening l6 provided in the center of the end wall, and this ring threads onto the end of the casing 1 to fasten the housing [3 onto the flash-light casing and at the same time hold the lens 9 and reflector 8 and bulb 5 in place. 0!

s (or. 340-321) course, while the flash-light is detachable, that is only to permit replacement of a burned out bulb in the present design. I may provide the central opening IIB inpthe end wall 15 and then, instead ofcjollar 12, provide any other suitable or preferred means of detachably fastening a flashlight rigidly onto the end of the housing with the lens 9 similarly disposed with respect tovthe opening jli, so thatgthe signal light could "be sold as a separate unit, namely, as an attachment applicableto existing flash-lights, instead of as an integral or assembled part of a unit with the flashlighuasherein disclosed. v r

v The square housing 13 is open at the enduremote from the wall It, as indicated at 11. and a square cover l8 is 'providedto close this open end. On the four side walls I9, 20, 2| and 22 of the housing 13,;numbers l to l are provided, respectively, as indicated at 23, by cut-outs, these numbers being preferably arranged so that they are upright when the flash-light 5 is directed downwardly, as indicated by the number 3 appearing in Fig. 1. The cover l8 has a .zero provided in the center thereof, as indicated at 24, also'bycut-outs. The usher in using the light to signal will, of course, turn the flash-light 5 around so as to turn the housing l3 to indicate to the distant usher the number of seats vacant, 'and;when there are no vacancies, the usher will raise the flash-light to a'substantially horizontal position in the direction of the distant usher, showing the zero. All of these numbers are a-rranged to be illuminated by 'indirect'lighti-ng from the lens 9 of the flash-light. A square tube 25 is mounted inside the housing I 3 centrally thereof by means of lugs 26 that extend radially from one end of the tube and are spot-welded 'or'otherwise suitably secured at their extremities 21 to the side walls "l9 and 29 of the housing 13, leaving ample space between the inner end of thet-ube 2-5 and the'end wall $5 of the housing 13, as indicated at 28, for indirect illumination of the cut-out numbers 4 to} in the side walls l91 2, while most of the light from thefiashlight will be conducted through the tube-=25 toward the cover 48. The tube 25 is spaced farther inwardly from the cover J8 than it is from the end wall t-5 and in this space a square plate 2 9 mounted transversely relation to the outerend of tube 25, the same having lugs 30 extending radially from opposite sides thereof "and secured at their extremities 31 to the side walls 2 (and 22 of the housing I 3, as by spot weldin'g. The plate 2!, being spaced from the end of tube 25, asin- "dloated at '32, and also'spaced from the side walls 19-11 of the housing 1 3, as indiatedat and a s snm l e cord 8: s ndi a' e at 3!,intercepts the light'coming throu'ghth'e tube 25 so as to permit only indirect lighting of the zero 24 provided in the center of cover It.

a The plate also reflects light toward the cut-outs 23 to give better illumination of numbers I to 4. A small circular hole 35 is preferably provided in the center of the plate 29 in line with a smaller circular hole 36 to allow a certain amount of more or less direct lighting of the floor through the hole 3 6 and the cut-outs 24 in the cover 18, because floor illumination is important, especially in fully darkened moving picture theaters, to enable patrons to see where they arewalking when the usher directs them to their seats. .The holes 35 and 36 are carefully gauged as to di ameter in relation to both the bore of tube and the dimensions of the zero cut-outs .24 to. 7

enable good signalling with the zero and yet provide just the desired amount of floor illumination, but not too much.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. In a portable hand signal light, a housing of elongated form having side walls uniformly spaced from a longitudinal axis, said housing also having opposed end walls, the side walls having openings provided therein defining signal legends adapted to be illuminated on their inner side, a light source such as a flash-light on one end wall of said housing arranged to project light into said housing substantially along the longitudinal axis, said flash-lightv providing an elongated handle projecting from the said end wall on said longitudinal axis, the other end wall of said housing remote from the light source having openings provided therein defining another signallegend adapted to be illuminated from inside saidhousing, a tube mounted in said housing on the longitudinal axis and adapted to conduct the major portion of the light from said flash-light to the other end of said housing said tube being spaced at its ends from the end walls and being also spaced from the side walls so as to allow only indirect lighting of the signal legend. openings in said side walls, and a plate mounted in said housing transversely relative to the outer endof said tube in spaced parallel relation between the outer end ofsaid tube and the adjacent end wall so as to provide indirect lighting of the signal legend r openings in said end wall and to reflect light toward-the legend openings in said side walls.

'2. A hand signal light as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plate has a central opening provided therein of small dimensions in relation to the bore of the tube, throu hwhich is permitted a predetermined amount of direct illumination of the legend openings in the end'wall. V

3. A hand signal light as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plate has a central opening provided therein of small dimensions in relation to the bore of the tube, through which is permitted a pre determined amount of direct illumination of the legend openingsin the end wall, the legend openings in the end wall defining a zero (0) that is large in dimensions in relation to the opening in the plate and located substantially in concentric relation thereto, whereby to permit medium good direct floor illumination through the end wall in addition to good illumination of the zero for signal purposes. a

4. A hand signallight as set forth in claim 1,

wherein said .platehas a central opening provided therein of small dimensions in relation to the bore of the tube, and wherein said end wall has a central opening provided therein of still smaller size in concentric relation to the plate opening, whereby a predetermined amount of direct illumination is permitted through said end wall.

5. In a portable hand signal light, a housing of elongated form having side walls uniformly spaced from a longitudinal axis, said housing also having opposed end walls, the side walls having openings provided therein defining signal legends adapted to be illuminated on their inner side, one end wall having a central opening provided therein and, around said opening, means for detachably securing in rigid relation to the housing and in concentric relation to the opening the lens end of a flash-light 'having'an elongated casing whereby the flash-light is adapted to provide an elongated handle projecting from the said end wall on said longitudinal axis and whereby the flash-light is adapted to project light into said housing substantially along the longitudinal axis, the other end wall of said housing remote from the light source having openings provided therein defining another signal legend adapted to be illuminated from inside said housing, a tube mounted in said housing on the longitudinal axis and adapted to conduct the major portionof the light from said flash-light to the other end of said housing, said tube being spaced at its ends from the end walls and being also spaced from the side walls so as to allow only indirect lighting of the signal legend openings in said side walls, and a plate mounted in said housing transversely relative to the outer end of said tube in spaced parallel relation between the outer end of said tube and the adjacent end wall so as to provide indirect lighting of the signal legend openings in said end wall and to reflect light toward the legend openings'in said side walls.

6. In a portable hand signal light, a housing of elongated form having side walls uniformly spaced from a longitudinal axis, said housing also having opposed end walls, the side walls having openings provided therein defining signal legends adapted'to be illuminated on their inner side, a

longitudinal axis, and a tube mounted in said housingon the longitudinal axis and adapted to conduct the major portion of the light from said flash-light to the other end of said housing, said tube being spaced at its ends from the end walls and being also spaced from the side walls so as to provide indirect lighting of the signal legend openings in said side walls, light issuing from'the end of said tube being reflected toward the legend openings in said side walls.

7 HUBERT N. BURGESS.

QRefer'encesCited in the file of this patent 

